Last update March 27, 2020 by Javier Argudo
The World Argentina 1978 He was the first who raised the combined albiceleste in its history. That championship was full of anecdotes and images for history. Today we remember a very special: The embrace of the soul.
As we say, editing 1978 It was surrounded by a historical context rather peculiar. Argentina was plunged into Videla dictatorship and football was the escape for a society that lived one of the darkest periods of its history.
The combined led by César Luis Menotti It was less more at the World. The truth is Argentina it went pretty bad and came to rub removal. In fact, the match against Peru He raised all kinds of suspicions as local needed a win against a rival loose, by then, It was quite hard. The 6-1 end was, for many, a shamble full-fledged.
Anyway, the case is that the team led by Mario Kempes He reached the final. His rival was not any. Holland He had dazzled the world four years ago. But nevertheless, this time missing its star, Johan Cruyff, I decided to stay home for personal reasons, as we explained in another article.
The game ended with a tie and the champion had to be decided in overtime. Argentines there were better and achieved victory 3-1. With the final whistle came the picture that made history. Tarantini He knelt on the grass and melted into big hug with the goalkeeper Ubaldo Fillol. At that moment a spontaneous need, fan of Argentina, he joined them.
The picture, captured by photographer Osvaldo Ricardo Alfieri, I would not have had more impact if it were not for the fan, Victor Dell'Aquila, He had no arms because he had lost a child. The embrace of the soul, as it was known this gesture, He still comes to us when we see the heart.
The protagonist of this embrace has in an interview in The graphic the sequence of what happened that day: “I was in the stalls on Figueroa Alcorta, when there was little to finish the game I went down and sat well. At that time was an asshole, He weighed 50 kilos and had a good condition. When I saw the referee raised his hand, I ran my feet, I flexed and tac! I fell perky. But still they are playing, They had added minutes. Then I walked slowly and went to the side of the stick Fillol. And when the whistle touched left running for judge someone to hold. In a moment, Tarantini knelt as praying to God. Fillol did the same and embraced. I just got. I braked and went forward sleeves. And there Alfieri took the picture. I have it dedicated by him "
